Uaine Craic
by Yemi Hikari
Summary: Alma is excited about Saint Patrick's Day and plans on having fun when the day comes. Bailey on the other hand isn't in the mood and the other girls have varying opinions. Then there is the outsider who gets involved.
1. Leprechaun Cutouts

_Author's note – I don't own Horseland. This fic is for Esrelda Snape's "Saint Patrick's Day Challenge", which can be found in her "Horseland Dreams Forever!" forum._

**Uaine Craic  
_Leprechan Cut Outs_**

A soft drizzle fell down creating small waves in the water puddles as a pair of rubber boots disturbed the pattern. Will and Bailey arrived at the large sign that made up the entrance for Horseland to wait for the school bus to come and take them to school. As the stopped walking the younger boy tugged on the hood of his raincoat to prevent the rain splashing into his face. He then places his hands into his pocket. Will looked back at the path they had taken. "Where' Alma?"

"I don't know. She is normally here before either one of us."

The sudden splashing sound of someone running down the path was heard and Alma suddenly appeared from the side of the fork in the path that led to the small cottage that Alma's family stayed in. She was carrying a tub with her and finally stopped at the road. "I hope it's not raining. Saint Partick's Day falls on a Saturday this year and if it is too wet I won't be able to decorate."

Bailey's mouth twisted up into a frown. "Alma... why are you so excited about this?"

"I was thinking that we could have a special themed day for the younger kids." Alma pulled the container closer to her chest. "Plus... I'm having fun reading about Saint Patrick and why we celebrate on that day."

The dark haired boy took a deep breath. "I don't have time to help with though. Midterms are this week in case you don't remember. What with the chores here at Horseland, the homework and the studying I don't think I can do it."

"I don't know." Will let out a laugh. "I'm actually willing to give this one a go despite the fact midterms are this week and you know how hard studying is for me. It will be a nice break from everything else, don't you think? Also... are we actually Irish?"

"You honestly don't know?" Will laughed again.

"Handler I believe is a German family name and Taggart is actually Scottish."

"That doesn't mean we don't have Irish in our blood."

"Are you going to tell me Will?" Bailey removed his hands from his pocket, frowning as he did so.

The bus for the high school suddenly pulled up and the blond haired teen pulled his backpack up farther. "Nope. Ask your mom when you get home from school."

Bailey's mouth twisted up as he watched as the boy stepped onto the bus. When the bus for the junior high pulled up he let out a sigh and got on. Alma followed behind him and they headed to one of the seats that was completely empty. The boy slouched in the seat by the window while Alma opened up the container. One of his eyebrows went up. "Alma... what is that?"

"What? You don't know what a leprechaun is?"

"I know what a leprechaun is, so please don't start telling me some story you've read." The boy looked out.

"Why are you in such a bad mood?"

Instead of answering her question the boy looked at the items. "When I asked what that was, I meant..." Bailey paused. "I didn't mean what it was a picture of, but what it was for. I think that is the best way to put it."

"They're cut outs. At least they will be when I finish cutting them. There are some other things that I'll have the girls help me with, but I figure I can get some of it done during the bus ride to school as well as lunch."

"What about eating and..." The bus suddenly bounced, causing Bailey's words to briefly be cut short. "And I don't think the bus is a good place for crafting."

"I do my school work all the time on the way home and none of the teachers complain about it being messy."

"Never mind. I've never really been one for school. Or reading for that matter." The boy turned to look out the window, his elbow pressed against the cold window pain of the bus. "I know you're not Irish. The last time I checked you were full blown Hispanic and quite proud of it too."

"Yes. I am Hispanic. I'm also Catholic though. Buenos Aires holds a major celebration every year in the Irish district. Plus... I like the color green and you're supposed to wear green on that day lest you get pinched. It's not as if I am asking for us to have a celebration anywhere near as elaborate as they can get. It's just going to be just some fun, basic activities."

"Except I know you. There will be nothing basic about it."

**M**

The morning classes passed quickly and Bailey found himself sitting with his friends which included Alma. The girl was zoned out as she cut out the leprechauns and other items from the paper print outs. Taking a deep breath he sat down among the other kids who happened to have parents with some kind of job in agriculture. Her lunch box was also opened to the side, most of it untouched. Bailey didn't say anything as he sat down.

Eventually though Alma's head darted up. "I'm looking forward to the celebration we'll be having for Saint Patty's day at Horseland."

One of their male friends chuckled. "So Alma is planning something again?"

Bailey simply looked away but spoke up. "It's what she's good at. I'm pretty much good at horses."

Alma frowned. "You shouldn't talk like that. You aren't stupid."

"I know that. I just find studies to be boring and unless it's games or horses. I mean, I have no plans on going away to college. I'm going to take over Horseland... maybe run it with Will."

Alma continued working away at her cut outs. "You do know that you can go to college to specialize in agriculture and business."

Bailey let out a sigh before looking away.


	2. Green Pastures

**Uaine Craic  
**_**Green **__**Pastures**_

The rain stopped before Alma and Bailey got onto the bus. The young Hispanic didn't notice her friend look over his shoulder as if something was bothering him. She did however notice when someone snapped at Bailey for not moving. He followed her onto the bus this time allowing her to take the window seat but still slouched down in the seat.

"What is bothering you? You've been moody all day." Alma caught a flash of red hair and frowned, her hand touching the window. "Chloe and Zoey don't go to our school."

"Why would you bring that up?" Bailey's hands went into his pockets.

"I saw a girl with red hair."

"Her..." The boy sunk farther into the seat, his tone of voice strained.

"You know her?" Alma blinked a couple of times. The boy remained silent. "Bailey..."

"This girl's been bothering me at school." Bailey closed his eyes and let out a deep breath.

"Bothering you how? Is she calling you names or something?"

"I wish it was that. I'd rather not talk about it."

"This isn't what has been bothering you?" Alma frowned, sitting up so she could pay more attention to her friend.

Bailey remained silent for awhile longer. "Yes..."

"Then be honest with me. Don't think I'll let it go."

"She..." There came another pause." She says that boyfriends and girlfriends let each other copying each other." There came another pause. "And no. We're not dating. I'd take Zoey or Chloe over her any day. Just... don't tell them that."

"Is this why hating school so much?"

"Yes. Can we stop talking about it? At least I don't have to think about her at Horseland."

**M**

They moved the horses out of their stalls when the other students arrived, taking them to the pasture near the barn. Alma began to scoop out Button's stall with great gusto while Bailey slowly worked on cleaning out Aztec's stall. Sarah looked up at her, smiling as she did so. "You seem to be in a good mood today Alma."

"Yes... well, the sooner that we get the chores done and exercise the horses the sooner we can go ahead and start planning for Saturday."

"What's Satrday?" Molly raised her eyebrow, a smile spreading on her face.

Chloe rolled her eyes. "It's Saint Patrick's Day."

Zoey frowned. "We're already cleaning up the stalls every day. Isn't that enough work."

Molly began to haul clean hay into Calypso's stall. "I've never celebrated Saint Patty's day beyond wearing green. Not sure what do do. Where does the whole tradition for pinching people come from?"

"The story is that leprechauns won't pinch you if you're wearing green." Alma finished what she was doing and headed out to brush down Buttons.

Bailey let out a sigh. "Not again."

It was then that Will came into the barn. "You're still not liking the idea of celebrating Saint Patty's day with everyone else Bailey?"

"I'm just not in the mood. Plus... we have midterms."

The blond haired teen let out a sigh. "It's not as bad as you think."

"Yeah... well, shows what you know."

"Yeah. Green is a nasty color." Chloe rolled her eyes. "I wouldn't be stuck wearing it, nor would Chili."

"Yes... well... that means that you're going to get pinched on Saturday. I'll talk to my aunt and see if she can't make some traditional Irish food for everybody. I'm guessing you guys have midterms as well, so don't you think it would be nice to do something after they're done?"

Molly smiled. "Yeah... it would be nice to celebrate that we're done with midterms for the spring semester. It will also be fun learning about the holiday too kind of like we did with other holidays. Isn't there going to be a parade that day?"

Zoey took a deep breath. "Chances are Alma's already signed us up for it, which means we're going to have to wear green as well."

Will let out a laugh. "Yes... we're already signed up, but it wasn't Alma who did it but my aunt and uncle. You need to be sure to wear green and we'll be up early in the morning. Most of all I want you guys to remember to have fun. That includes you Bailey."

"Exactly what is that supposed to mean?" The younger boy glared at the older boy.

"I've noticed that you've been moody of late. Come on. It really can't be that bad can it?"

Bailey let out a sigh, rolling his eyes as he did so.

**M**

The horses watched as the children cleaned up the stalls. Aztec moved to the side in a rather nervous manner. "Bailey hasn't been acting like his usual self lately."

"That's what you're worried about?" Chili grumbled, stomping his foot on the ground.

"While I wouldn't look bad in green I just know that everything is going to be tacky."

Buttons let out a sigh. "I think the fact Bailey isn't in the mood for celebrating is more of a concern then the fact the decorations will be tacky. I'm quite sure that Alma wouldn't make them look tacky."

Scarlet shook her head. "Yes. Bailey has in case you haven't noticed been spending more time out in the barn around us horses."

Chili snorted through his nose. "Isn't that his job? I mean, isn't it a good ting that he is spending more time doing his job?"

Aztec did the same action. "Now see here. There is doing your job and being obsessive compulsive about the job, or going so slow it takes time to get it done. Something is wrong."

"It's to bad we can't ask Bailey what the matter is," Calypso piped up.

Pepper rolled her eyes. "Sorry... but how could we horses help the human even if we could ask? We can't even help with the preparations for this Saint Pat... what ever... Day."

"I say let the humans take care of the problems themselves." Chili snorted through his nose.


	3. Courtney

**Uaine Craic  
**_**Courtney**_

Courtney Alice McGreggor transferred to the school over the summer, thus deflating the new girl status with the fact she started the school year at the same time as everyone else. Instead of being excited about a new girl showing up they talked about what they did over the summer. A new face was a new face and completely expected once you got out of elementary school and shared classes with numerous other students.

Despite being a rural school there was still a group of girls that wanted to be on top of the latest fashion trends. The one thing Courtney had going for her was the fact her parents were rich, or at least rich by the standards for that school. She wore some of the latest fashion items and was always ahead of these girls when it came to fashion, so she quickly became their head bee.

Thus she had the misconception that she was popular among all the students because she was a part of this particular group. The thing though about rural area schools compared to those of the inner city was that the students tended to have their own fashion trends and nuances. Despite throwing taunting leers and insults the way of other students Courtney found herself unable to stir a feather.

This was particularly true among the largely Hispanic population at the school which happened to have its own trends and styles based on a mix of American pop culture as well as the popular stars from down in Mexico that they would watch with their parents during the day. Some didn't understand what she said to them either and would laugh in her face.

Then there were the girls who didn't care because they worked on their parents farm and enjoyed rough and tumble activities that meant they had to be careful what they wore. The vast majority of the school leaned towards athleticism and there was a great pride in this. If she had managed to get enrolled in time she could have possibly been a cheerleader, but then again athleticism wasn't her thing.

Instead she couldn't help but think that her style sense was going to die from lack of challenge. One thing she noticed though was that a lot of the girls seemed to take an interest in Bailey Handler, though she honestly didn't know why. She had to admit that he was kind of cute, but most of all that dating him would raise her status among the girls at the school.

Thus she started walking up and flirting with him, practically stalking him. At first he just ignored her, but then he started to give her rather annoyed looks before scuttling away. He always hung out with Alma and one time she approached the oblivious bookworm while her nose was in a book and asked what her relationship was with Bailey Handler. Without looking up from her book Alma said, "_We've known each other since we were tykes, so I'd say that he's like my unofficial official brother of sorts._"

Which in Courtney's mind meant no competition. She did though still think that Alma wasn't very bright despite being one of the top students in her class. Of course... Courtney didn't know this as grades were not important to her. One of her friends though came hurrying over. "Did you know that Bailey's going to be having a Saint Patty's day party at his place. Hopefully you'll get an invitation."

The girl blinked a couple of times and proceeded to follow Bailey the rest of the day, being late to her classes in hopes that she would get a coveted girl blinked a couple of times. Wanting to know more about said party, she approached one of the male friends Bailey had. "Excuse me... but what's this party Bailey's having? Why haven't I been invited?"

The guy's eyebrows rose up. "Because the Saint Patrick thing Alma is planning is restricted to the students of Horseland riding academy. You know... the riding school Bailey's parents run?"

Courtney rolled her lip as she thought about this. She watched as Bailey's friend went to talk to one of the blond cowgirls. She then hurried to where the nice limo her parents sent every day was waiting for her. She climbed into the back and spoke to her chauffeur. "I want to take riding lessons."

"At Stanhope Academy miss?"

"No... apparently Horseland is the local riding academy... though I think they teach cowboy riding only." The girl sat there. "_When I take over as his wife, I'll change that._"

"Western riding miss. And if that is all they do, I don't think you're parents will approve." The limo pulled away.

"I _will_ go to this Horseland academy thing." The girl stomped her foot onto the ground. "And I must be ready to go by this weekend, no later. You will tell them that, won't you Jeffery?"

"My name is Carlson miss."

"Nonsense. All chauffeurs and butlers are named Jeffery. That is common sense." She didn't catch the old man rolling his eyes, but she did catch his next response that was under his breath.

"I'd rather go and chauffeur for the Stilton girls. They should be having another quitting on them soon."

"Who are the Stilton girls and what is so good about them."

"It would do you well to know some of the locat big wigs around here. The most major family around here is the Whitney family. Then there is the Stilton family, the Bentley family..."

"As if I care... they can't be better any of them then my family."

"You'll need riding gear and a horse if you're to go riding."

"Then lets go and look."

"Shopping for a horse is not like shopping for clothes, Miss McGreggor. Your parents will want to get a specialist to come in and judge if the horse is just right for you."

"Well... if that's how you get just the right horse then so be it. It's got to be perfect as I've got to put forth the best impression. This is my chance." Courtney squealed with excitement.


End file.
